1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoreceptor which enables obtaining a high-image-quality and high-quality image by a correct use, and a management system which manages a correct use of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because having immediacy and enabling obtaining an image of high quality and good keeping, the electrophotographic technique invented by C. F. Carlson is widely used not only in the field of copying machines but also in the fields of various kinds of printers and facsimiles recently, and spread wide.
Regarding a photoreceptor, which is a core of the electrophotographic technique, as a photoconductive material thereof, an inorganic photoconductive material such as Se, Asxe2x80x94Se alloy, CdS or ZnO has been used up to now, and recently, a photoreceptor made of an organic photoconductive material having merits such as being free from pollution, being easy to deposit and produce and allowing material selection from a wide range, which cannot be seen in the inorganic material, has been developed.
The durability of the organic photoreceptor has been dramatically increased in recent years. However, countermeasures against a change of a film thickness due to mechanical abrasion, a change of sensitivity according to a use environment and so on are not complete, and in order to cover these performances, methods that main body equipment detects and compensates the changes have been adopted.
As one of the methods, there is a proposed method which enables obtaining a good image at all times by: disposing a mark part made by differentiating a reflectivity of part of a photoreceptor surface so as to enable definition of the position thereof by reading the reflectivity difference with a photodiode; measuring toner concentration in the same position on the photoreceptor at all times; and compensating deterioration of an image based on electrostatic charge potential, development bias, exposure strength and so on. For example, in Japanese Patent Publications No. 2882210 and No. 2886749, one example of this proposal is disclosed.
However, in the above prior art, process control including information on a change of a photoreceptor formula or variation among lots is impossible, and all that is possible is a temporary adjustment of image quality. Moreover, although it is possible to know a life from a counter on the apparatus main body side, there is such a problem that correct process control cannot be executed because a history is unavailable, for example, in a case where a memory of the main body is erased because of trouble, or in a case where, when the main body gets out of order and cannot be used, the photoreceptor is reused in another main body.
Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 6-35258 (1994), a method of storing the number of sheets with images formed and so on in a nonvolatile memory provided in a photoreceptor unit is proposed. However, since an electrophotographic photoreceptor is usually dealt alone, storing in a photoreceptor unit needs a complicated operation such as resetting an IC chip for every replacement of a photoreceptor. Moreover, there is a possibility of misusing a unit using an inferior photoreceptor by mistake.
Furthermore, since the main body and the unit are connected by a connector and exchange information for every replacement, there is a problem that such a matter that transmission/reception of data cannot be performed or data is lost because of abrasion and deformation of a contact and so on is easy to arise.
Recently, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2000-246921 (2000), a noncontact type of recording medium instead of a contact type described above is developed, and a method of recording information of consumable goods such as a photoreceptor and toner into a noncontact recording medium and using consumable goods suitable for a main body in an optimal condition is proposed.
However, in this case, the problem in the case of storing in a photoreceptor unit as described before is not solved, and furthermore, as copiers and printers are rapidly spread, corresponding consumable goods such as a photoreceptor and toner flood the market, so that a problem that a desired image cannot be obtained and trouble that a main body gets out of order often arise because of use of an inferior photoreceptor.
Accordingly, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2001-117309 (2001), it is proposed to attach a noncontact recording medium with information stored to an electrophotographic photoreceptor. However, in this case, a fixture place of the noncontact recording medium is a flange part, and since application of a photosensitive layer is performed in a clean room and attachment of a flange part is performed in a normal environment in general in production of an electrophotographic photoreceptor, these are usually performed in other places or other plants, and information transmission between both the plants becomes complicated, so that a mistake of stored information due to a mistake of attachment of a flange is easy to arise.
The present invention was made in consideration of the conditions mentioned above, and an object of the invention is to provide an electrophotographic photoreceptor capable of recording management information for managing the electrophotographic photoreceptor in a noncontact state and improving management of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrophotographic photoreceptor in which management information of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is stored without errors and with increased precision.
A further object of the invention is to provide a management system of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which management system management information for managing an electrophotographic photoreceptor is kept by a main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an appropriate action is taken in accordance with conditions and type of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the invention is constituted as follows.
The invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, the electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising:
a conductive base;
a photosensitive layer formed on the conductive base; and
a noncontact information medium disposed on the conductive base or photosensitive layer, the noncontact information medium being provided with an antenna part which communicates with main body communication means of a main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus in a noncontact state and a control part which stores management information for managing the electrophotographic photoreceptor and controls the antenna part so as to communicate with the main body communication means.
According to the invention, the main body communication means and the noncontact information medium do not contact each other, and therefore, there is no glitch due to abrasion of a contact, grime of a contact and so on by use. Consequently, correct information of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is stored in the recording medium, the main body is capable of setting an optimal image forming process based on this information, and it is possible to obtain a good image.
Further, since the noncontact information medium exists on the conductive base, it is possible to input information of the photosensitive layer itself in real time at the time of producing the photosensitive layer, which is a convenience, and it is also possible to prevent a mistake of stored information due to a mistake of attachment of a flange.
In the invention it is preferable that the noncontact information medium stores at least one of information of number of use of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, information of use conditions of the electrophotographic photoreceptor in the main body, ID information of a manufacturer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, and information of inspection history of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
According to the invention, the information can be rewritten from outside, and therefore, it is possible to update the information in accordance with the degree of use, it is possible at all times to keep a present state of the electrophotographic photoreceptor in the main body, and it is possible to immediately respond component sharing.
In the invention it is preferable that the control part and the antenna part of the noncontact information medium are made up by one IC chip.
According to the invention, it is easy to mount because wiring is not required, and it is possible to prevent occurrence of a failure such as a disconnection.
In the invention it is preferable that the electrophotographic photoreceptor comprises authentication means for authenticating access information inputted from the main body communication means, and access control means for allowing communication between the noncontact information medium and the main body communication means when the access information is authenticated by the authentication means.
According to the invention, transmission/reception of data is performed after authentication of access information, and therefore, it is possible to prevent alteration and disappearance of data due to a misuse.
In the invention it is preferable that the noncontact information medium is fixed to the surface of the photosensitive layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
According to the invention, it is possible to fix the noncontact information medium in a simple manner after production of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
In the invention it is preferable that the noncontact information medium is fixed to the surface of the conductive base of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.
According to the invention, the photosensitive layer also functions as a protection film of the noncontact information medium, so that it is possible to prevent exfoliation and hiatus, and it is possible to protect the IC chip from a scratch and shock.
In the invention it is preferable that the conductive base is a resin.
According to the invention, it is possible to easily dispose a concave part to the conductive base, it is possible by fixing the noncontact information medium thereto to make away with irregularity of the surface of the photoreceptor, it is possible to smoothly clean, and it is possible to prevent toner scattering or occurrence of a noise due to a contact with the main body.
In the invention it is preferable that a fixture position of the noncontact information medium on the electrophotographic photoreceptor exists outside all areas of charging means for charging the electrophotographic photoreceptor, developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor, transferring means for transferring a developed image to a recording medium, and cleaning means for removing toner residue.
According to the invention, it is possible to prevent electrostatic charge at a convex part of a place fixing the noncontact information medium, unevenness of development and cleaning fault, and it is possible to prevent occurrence of a failure because the noncontact information medium itself is not subjected to electrical and mechanical stress.
In the invention it is preferable that the photosensitive layer includes an undercoat layer disposed onto the conductive base, a charge generating layer disposed onto the undercoat layer, and a charge transfer layer disposed onto the charge generating layer, and the noncontact information medium is fixed to the surface of the charge transfer layer.
In the invention it is preferable that the photosensitive layer includes an undercoat layer disposed onto the conductive base, a charge generating layer disposed onto the undercoat layer, and a charge transfer layer disposed onto the charge generating layer, and the noncontact information medium is fixed to the surface of the conductive base and disposed away from the photosensitive layer.
In the invention it is preferable that the photosensitive layer includes an undercoat layer disposed onto the conductive base, a charge generating layer disposed onto the undercoat layer, and a charge transfer layer disposed onto the charge generating layer, and the noncontact information medium is fixed to the surface of the conductive base and coated with the charge transfer layer.
The invention provides a management system used in a main body of an image forming apparatus which main body accommodates an electrophotographic photoreceptor, comprising:
the electrophotographic photoreceptor; and
a mechanism for rewriting or reading information of the noncontact information medium,
wherein communication with the noncontact information medium is carried out when a charge voltage to charging means for charging the electrophotographic photoreceptor and a development voltage to developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor are not applied.
According to the invention, it is possible to communicate without errors without being affected by power source noise.
The invention provides a management system used in a main body of an image forming apparatus which main body accommodates an electrophotographic photoreceptor, comprising:
the electrophotographic photoreceptor; and
a mechanism for rewriting and reading information of the noncontact information medium,
wherein when according to a judgment on the main body side, information stored in the noncontact information medium is judged as being abnormal, a necessary action is taken.
According to the invention, it is possible to prevent mounting to a nonconforming model by mistake and misusing an inferior photoreceptor, and perform normal image forming at all times.